Hedgehog or Man
by Ink Spotz
Summary: Deciding that it is time for him to leave the glen where he grew up to find his own path, he comes across a creature he knows as "the Sherlock" and starts out on a new adventure with him. Could this adventure afford John, not only with the chance to have a friend, but also with the opportunity to be a hero and save his glen from the clearers who are trying to tear down his home?
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1

John detested being a hedgehog some days. It limited him. It made him not be able to do things that he desperately wanted to be able to. 'Hedgehogs have an important part here in the glen,' he heard over and over from the other animals about him. He certainly didn't believe them. If anything, especially more recently, hedgehogs were pushed aside and completely underestimated. There were many days where John would venture out to see how he could help his community and he would be pushed aside and told to go home. Being frustrated with his lack of abilities, he set to making a list of things that he was determined to someday complete in order to feel like he was a useful being and not one that was just taking up space.

He kept his list simple, so that he had a better and more realistic chance of reaching his goals. His list contained three goals that he felt were vital to him and would help him to feel better. The first goal was that he wanted a friend. Sure there were a lot of animals in the glen that would stop and chat with him momentarily, or say a passing 'hello', but none could truly be called his friend. He was a hedgehog. Hedgehogs were looked at as the bottom of the ladder, so therefore, no one wanted to be friends with someone on the bottom rung of the animal community they lived in. The second thing on John's list was to be important. He knew that he wasn't viewed as important in this society, and he didn't necessarily want people to fawn over his every move, but just wanted his existence to be noticed. The final and third thing on John's list was to be able to be a hero. It kind of fell in line with his second goal, but he felt it should be separate because being noticed for existing and being a hero were two completely different things.

The day that John's list began to go to pass started out the same as any other day. John was walking about and trying to be helpful, but wasn't allowed to help out with anything. He was too short, too slow, or too in the way to be of assistance. Grumbling to himself, John was making his way back to his family's home when he noticed an odd creature near the edge of the glen. Stopping in his tracks, he slowly swiveled his head to watch the creature. This creature didn't look like all of the other animals that John was use to seeing. This creature had a large body in which the upper portion rested up against a large tree; arms tucked neatly behind the head. Two long legs stretched out in front of the creature as he gazed up at the sky above him. What was this creature? He had never seen one like that before out here. Well, besides the clearers, but he wasn't even sure if they were from the same family at this point. The clearers always came in to destroy their habitat with large chainsaws and suits. This creature looked like he wouldn't harm a fly nor had a care in the world.

John slowly started to make his way towards the creature. Everything in him was screaming at him to turn back and don't go that way, but he couldn't stop himself. He just had to meet this fascinating creature and see if he was dangerous or not. As he slowly made his way closer to the creature, he heard words start to leave his mouth. The timber of the sounds that left his mouth caused John to gape up at the creature in awe.

"You're twenty one. You should do something with your life..." grumbled the creature as he dug out a small square pack from his pocket. He flicked it open and John watched as he withdrew a small orange tube. "Who are they to judge me?"

John watched from a slight distance as the creature put the tube in his mouth and then proceeded to withdraw a metal rectangle that he flicked the top off of, causing a spark of fire to appear. Not being able to stop himself, he let out a nervous squeak. Fire was bad. It caused destruction. As he watched the creature bring the flame closer to the tube, he knew that he had to stop him. No creature so magnificent should soil themselves in that manner. Springing into immediate action, John waddled over to the creature as fast as he could and managed to jump up onto a fallen log nearby, jumping onto the creature's chest and knocking the tube away before the flame could reach it.

The creature spluttered in shock as he put the rectangle fire stick away and John froze in terror on his chest. He kept panicking and wondering why he had done such an impulsive thing. He was terrified of what this creature might do to him now; worried he might be angry about him knocking away the tube. John slowly swiveled his head to look at the creature and noticed that the creature was looking at him with his brows narrowed. The creature tried to reach a hand towards him, and he immediately shied away in fear. The creature smiled softly then, and spoke directly to him.

"I won't hurt you..." he said gently. "I promise."

The only words that John could understand at that moment were "hurt you" since the clearers that kept coming into the woods kept talking about how they weren't going to "hurt" anything and they were doing this so "you animals" could live in a safer area, away from them.

Seeing that he was still afraid, the creature pointed a hand at his chest and said slowly, "I'm Sherlock. Who are you?"

So this creature was a "Sherlock". Interesting. John looked down at his stubby paws and, since he didn't have the proper dexterity to bring it up to his chest like the Sherlock, he patted the Sherlock's chest.

"I'm a hedgehog. A hedgehog named John," he said, but it only came out as a squeak.

The Sherlock chuckled at John's attempt of introduction. His genuine smile was what was slowly beginning to win John over. He was beginning to think that maybe this Sherlock was safe, and that maybe he didn't have to be afraid. As Sherlock brought his hand closer to John once more, he allowed him to gently touch him, making sure his bristles didn't hurt him at all.

"Do you have a family?" asked the Sherlock.

"Family" was the only word that John could pick up on there, and he swiveled his head back towards his home. He _did_ have a loving animal community that was suppose to make up his family, but he didn't feel like a part of it at all. He was still living at home with his parents, and was friendless and jobless a good majority of the time. He shook his head in a 'no'. John thought that maybe it would be better for him if he tried to attempt a fresh start.

The Sherlock looked at John in thought for a minute more before removing the scarf from about his neck. He turned it into a small nest and held it out in front of John as a sort of offering. John was in awe at the blue mass before him; the blue mass that looked as soft as the clouds that John was always looking up at. Inching forward slowly, John soon burrowed into the blue softness and let out a small squeak of contentment, looking up at the Sherlock with a small smile. He liked this creature.

"How about you come home with me?" asked the Sherlock gently as he slowly rose to his feet, keeping the blue scarf nest and John close to his chest to protect him.

As the creature rose from the ground and John rose higher and higher into the air, he let out a small squeak of fear and tried to burrow deeper into the blue material for safety. The Sherlock chuckled as he looked down at the frightened hedgehog in his hands.

"Don't be scared. You're safe. I'm taking you to a new home."

"New home." "Safe". Both words that John clung to desperately now. Not fighting the Sherlock's hold, he allowed himself to relax in the nest again, and lay down to rest. Seeing John settle down in his hands, the Sherlock smiled and slowly began to walk back down the path in the direction of his parent's house. The Sherlock didn't realize he left his now unlit rectangle fire stick and square box of tubes behind by the tree trunk.

"I'll have to sneak you in the back door. I can't let my parents see you. Or Mycroft for that matter. Oh, if Mycroft sees you, he'll become quite quarrelsome with me. 'You're twenty one. You should be getting a job, not out getting a pet,' he'll more than likely say to me. Oh, he always thinks that he's better than me because he's seven years my senior, so that's why I like playing tricks on him when I can. Like the time I..."

John looked up at the creature as he continued to let the foreign sound fall from his mouth. John didn't understand most of what the Sherlock was saying, but he didn't care. He was happy and content for the first time in a long time. Looking past the Sherlock up at the blue sky above him, John relaxed more. Oh, how he wished that he could be like this magnificent creature that was carrying him towards a new life and new start. He wished it with all his heart, and you know what they say about wishes of that sort. They almost, most definitely, come to pass.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

As the Sherlock approached his house, John burrowed down further into the safety of the nest. His little heart started to beat faster. A million questions seemed to be sailing through his head at that moment. The one at the top of the list though was a fear that he would be caught and harmed. He worried that if the Sherlock's family saw him, that he'd be in danger. He kept telling himself though, as the Sherlock carried him through the back door quietly, that this family were Sherlocks, and the enemies were clearers. They looked like the same species, but they couldn't be. They were too different.

"Stay quiet, my friend," whispered the Sherlock to him as he did an odd series of movements along the floorboards at the back door, trying to avoid making any creaking noises.

John, though he didn't understand it, remained positively still in the Sherlock's hands. He was filled with a sense of fear and didn't want to make the situation worse in any way. Soon, they were walking out of the back entry way and up a flight of stairs, once more doing an odd series of steps. The Sherlock flattened his back against the wall as he side stepped up the stair well. Curious as to why they now seemed to be floating, John poked his head up over the edge of the nest to see where they were. Seeing the steps, and how high they were, he let out a squeak without meaning to. The Sherlock took in his breath sharply then and proceeded to purposely step on a creaky board to cover the squeak.

Once they reached the top of the stairs, the Sherlock proceeded to keep moving down the hallway at a brisk pace. He made straight for his room and shut the door behind him before placing John and the nest down onto the bed. Sighing with relief, the Sherlock sank down beside John and the nest with a small smile.

"Welcome home," the Sherlock said.

Hearing the word "home", John poked his head up out of the nest again and looked about him. The place he found himself was quite quaint. There was one window in the room that was in the center of the far wall. The bed was up against the left hand wall whilst a writing desk was situated up against the right. A beige carpet lay over the wooden floor and a few pictures hung on the wall; pictures of other creatures like this Sherlock. John wondered if those people were clearers or Sherlocks.

"Come on out of the nest if you'd like," said the Sherlock as he reached out a hand to him.

John turned to face the hand as it came toward him, and instead of shying away as he had last time, leaned forward so he could nuzzle it a bit. The Sherlock smiled at that, and gently scooped John into his hands to place him down onto his bedspread. John felt himself sink into the mattress almost immediately and let out another squeak of terror. The Sherlock chuckled and scooped him back into the nest that John felt comfortable in.

"I didn't realize how light nor small you were," said the Sherlock, "But that's okay. I'll take good care of you."

The remainder of the day, John and the Sherlock visited with one another whilst avoiding the Sherlock's parents. John would watch the Sherlock as he talked or showed him about the house, and John would interrupt here or there with an affirmative squeal or squeak. The Sherlock always chuckled when he did that and took great pride afterwards in gently petting John's quills and having him nuzzle into the palm of his hand. By the time night fell and it was time for bed, the Sherlock had fallen completely in love with his little friend. He placed John and his nest gently down on to his writing desk.

"Goodnight, John," said the Sherlock as he smiled softly at him before crossing the room and climbing into bed to try to get some rest. "See you in the morning."

As the room about John became completely dark and silent, it finally snuck in what he had done. He had come over to this creature's house and had now become the creature's. He didn't mind though. As he continued to think it over, he discovered that he honestly couldn't be happier about the whole thing. This was all he had been wanting. Once more he thought upon the wish he had wished as they left the glen earlier in the day, and wished once more that it would come to pass as he fell asleep. John fell asleep without noticing the small ray of green light that was appearing in the room from the open window; the light of a fairy come to grant him his wish.

John awoke a few hours later, feeling completely stiff and sore. Letting out a small groan, he rolled over with the sole purpose of nuzzling further into the nest, but instead rolled off the desk he was on and onto the floor with a thud. An 'oof' flew from his mouth as he hit the floor, and he opened his groggy eyes quickly to try to figure out how it had happened. He had thought the Sherlock had situated his nest further back against the wall.

As John looked about him, he noticed how smaller everything looked. Yesterday everything had seemed so big to him, but now everything seemed so much smaller. He wondered if maybe the Sherlock's belongings had shrunk during the night. Sitting up, John's eyes widened. Were those arms? He stretched the foreign limbs out in front of him as he looked on with a gaped mouth. He clenched and unclenched the hands in front of him before looking down to see that he had two legs too. Smiling widely, he reached out a hand towards the desk to try to stand and slowly rose to his feet. He had to find a mirror so he could be certain about all of this. He had to know if what had happened had really happened.

He walked quietly towards the door so as not to wake the Sherlock who was surprisingly still asleep, and crept down the hallway to the mirror in the bathroom that he had seen while on the tour the other day. As he stood in front of the bathroom mirror, a shocked look came on John's face. Staring back at him was a face like the creatures. Two sky blue eyes stared back at him as he turned his face in every angle possible to see the evident change. Instead of the pudgy hedgehog face he was use to seeing when he gazed at his reflection, he know saw one like the creature's. His eyes were situated in a face that held a rounded nose and chin. He had two plump cheeks that held a rosy tint to them and a mouth that was spread in a wide, amazed grin. His wish had come true! Smiling even wider at his new reflection, he rushed back down the hall to the Sherlock's room. Once back in the Sherlock's room, he walked over to him and shook him quickly by the shoulders. He didn't know many words still so allowed his shaking to speak for him.

Sherlock let out small, irritated moans as he rolled onto his side and tried to bury his head under his pillow.

"Go away...I'm still sleepy..."

"I'm a Sherlock!" said John, trying to form some kind of sentence to get the Sherlock to wake up.

Curious about that sentence, Sherlock rolled back over and removed the pillow from his head to open his eyes. Looking up at John, his eyes widened in fear. John mistook the fear and smiled widely at the Sherlock.

"I'm a Sherlock!" he repeated.

"Who are you?" asked the Sherlock, "And why are you in my room?"

Sherlock's eyes immediately flew towards the desk where he had set his hedgehog the night before to see that the nest had been flattened and the hedgehog was no where in sight. He cursed under his breath and quickly rose from his bed. As the Sherlock began to look for the hedgehog, John frowned, wondering why the Sherlock wasn't happy about what had happened to him.

"Where are you, my hedgie?" asked the Sherlock as he crawled about on all fours.

"Here," said John, pointing at himself.

Sherlock turned back to look at him again and slowly sat back on his haunches.

"Who are you?" the Sherlock repeated.

"John," he said. "I was a hedgehog. Now I'm a Sherlock!"

Sherlock opened and closed his mouth several times before slowly rising to his feet and walking towards him. The Sherlock slowly reached out a hand towards John, and John instinctively leaned towards the hand to nuzzle it. The Sherlock's eyes widened in shock once more as he quickly had John take a seat on his bed.

"We need to talk about this," said the Sherlock quietly as he sat beside him.

John nodded as he smiled at his friend, happy to be the same as him now.

Before the Sherlock could start his round of questions though, a loud knock came at the door.

"Sherlock! Open up!"

The Sherlock immediately straightened his posture in fright.

"You have to hide," he said urgently. "It's my brother!"


End file.
